OCTOBER 11 TO OCTOBER 18, 2017
VOLUME 25 ISSUE 25
Still looking for home since 1993
Research
3
Three UFV researchers recieved national funding for research.
Baseball
7
Cascades men’s baseball team gearing up for the season.
Miley Cyrus
15
She did something with music again.
Glak’lorg’s K athexis pg.
WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017
Editorial //
STAFF Editor-in-Chief Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca Business Manager Quintin Stamler quintin@ufvcascade.ca Managing Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca Production Manager Caleb Campbell caleb@ufvcascade.ca Production Assistant Satinder Dhillon satinder@ufvcascade.ca Illustrator Amara Gelaude amara@ufvcascade.ca Online Editor Jeff Mijo jeff@ufvcascade.ca Staff Writer Aleister Gwynne aleister@ufvcascade.ca Distributor Liam Ritchie business@ufvcascade.ca
Copy Editor Cat Friesen cat@ufvcascade.ca News Editor Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca Junior News Editor Jessica Barclay jessica@ufvcascade.ca
Surfing thoughts Sea salt, iron, resin, and good vibes
Opinion Editor Jeff Mijo jeff@ufvcascade.ca Feature Editor Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca Culture & Events Editor Cassie De Jong cassie@ufvcascade.ca Arts in Review Editor Martin Castro martin@ufvcascade.ca Varsity Writer Rachelle Strelezki rachelle@ufvcascade.ca Staff Writer Panku Sharma panku@ufvcascade.ca
THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS Jesse Boyes Harvin Bhathal Cover: Caleb Campbell Back Cover: Brittany Cardinal
WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA
@UFVCASCADE FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE INSTAGRAM.COM/THE.CASCADE Volume 25 · Issue 25 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529
The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by the Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a print circulation of 1,250 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities. The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Writers meetings are held every second Monday at 12:00 p.m. in The Cascade’s office on the Abbotsford campus. In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 400 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publication, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.
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JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
I was sitting in the back of a 1974 Dodge Tradesman. My right boot, kicked up onto the counter to stop dinner from sliding off — terrifying right-hand turns. My left boot, braced against the stove to stop myself from bailing — lefts, too. Coastal roads are windy. In the event of a rollover, pillows would be deployed; and so would everything else from the overhead shelves and bed. Moving, rattling, bouncing — riding along while driving along the coast, flying like a bat out of hell. In my mind, I was still. It was two days after the full moon. The moon, still bright, with just a soft shading on its left cheek. Three friends and I took off to rethink Thanksgiving — to rethink in general. We set a course for the shores shared by Discovery and Resolution. We hit the beach by sundown and nearly collided with the moon. Beside us, a short row of old RVs and Subarus outfitted with roof racks, surfboards, and Aztec blankets encroached the rocky shoreline. Within moments of arrival, I wandered towards the waning tide. Here in the Botanical Beach tide pools, near Port Renfrew, the sea does its best to recreate the night sky. It’s what John Steinbeck meant, I think, when he wrote, “It is advisable to look from the tide pool to the stars and then back to the tide pool,” in The Log from the Sea of Cortez.
When you stand over a tide pool at night, you stand over the sky — perspective. My friends met me in the dark, on the edge of the ocean. We talked about the moon and the sky and the waves. We walked around the pools teeming with life. Red sea urchins, green shore crabs, and pink-tipped anemones populated the pools. Their dance is truly with the stars. Everywhere under the moonlight, something to discover or uncover. Then, I was lost. Purpose pales in comparison to the grand plans of the ocean — cycles. I realized: oh, here I am, “bound by the elastic string of time,” as Steinbeck put it. Getting lost in the double mirror reflection in the tide pool and everything it sends back at the night sky. Lost between the sea and sky. The beauty is undeniable, and it’s in what’s unknowable. I guess I’m okay with that. Somehow, we fit in as a part of it, anyhow. When you stand over a tide pool at night, “the meaningless words of science and philosophy are walls that topple before a bewildered little ‘why.’” When standing over a tide pool at night, friends nearby — the silhouettes of inland douglas firs and cedars defining the intertidal zone on one end, and the ocean retreating and intruding on the other — don’t forget to stop everything and ask, “why?”
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017
Research funding //
NEWS BRIEFS
UFV scientist received a national research grant to continue work on B.C.’s coast
B.C. international students International students attending universities in B.C. currently pay three to four times the tuition that domestic students do, and fees are set to rise even higher at many institutions. Critics have expressed concern that universities are too focused on this extra money, and that domestic enrolment and seat availability will be negatively affected as a result. However, many administrators from several different institutions in the province insist that international students do not displace domestic ones, and that the higher tuition costs for language and academic pathway courses help ensure they will succeed during their studies here.
-The Province Cognitive health donation Last week, a $2.5-million donation was announced for the Victoria Hospitals Foundation for a five-year initiative that will include the University of Victoria, Island Health, and the University of British Columbia, for a research project aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of dementia. The donation was made by a Greater Victoria family with a personal connection to cognitive health issues. The university of Victoria and other partners in the Neil and Susan Manning Cognitive Health Initiative have worked with donor Neil and Susan Manning for two years to finalize details of the innovative project. -UVic News
JESSICA BARCLAY JR. NEWS EDITOR
Dr. Olav Lian, Earth scientist and director of UFV’s Luminescence Dating Laboratory, received a five-year grant totalling $110,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada to continue his current research. He is one of three scientists at UFV to have received NSERC funding this year to continue their research. Dean of science, Dr. Lucy Lee, and associate professor of physics, Dr. Derek Harnett also received research funding. The NSERC application is made of three parts. They want to know what you accomplished with previous funds, what you plan on doing if they fund you this time, and how you will train students. While the research doesn’t need to be ground-breaking, Lian said it does have to be important enough for the NSERC to want to fund it. “There’s hundreds of university and government researchers in Canada applying for the same pot of money, so it’s quite competitive,” said Lian. A significant part of the application is students training. “It’s hugely important. If I happened to do groundbreaking research but I hadn’t trained many students, I would probably have a hard time getting any new money. But, without students, less research would get done,” said Lian. Since beginning his research career, Lian’s studies have focused on how a landscape evolves as a result of long-term climate change. “When I’m talking long-term, I mean thousands and thousands of years. I’m interested in the big stuff that happens, like the effect of glaciers coming and go-
ing,” said Lian. Lian’s main project over the next five years will look at the timing and changes to the coast of British Columbia since the end of the last glacial period, about 15,000 years ago. He and his UFV team, which includes research associate Dr. Christina Neudorf, will be collaborating with other earth scientists, archaeologists, and anthropologists associated with the Hakai Institute and UVic, who are working to understand the character and timing of the migration of people down the coast from what is now Alaska following the retreat of the ice age glaciers. Although some theorize First Peoples migrated from Alaska through an icefree corridor near what is now the western edge of Alberta, the team Lian works with are researching whether it is possible that people, in fact, followed the western coast down from Alaska. “You’re walking for a long, long way, maybe stopping in places for a few thousand years. If you’re going through that ice sheet corridor, what would you eat? It was likely a barren arctic tundra. But, on the coast, there would be all sorts of things to eat,” said Lian. Lian will be dating sand grains at dig sites and natural exposures along the coast using optical dating at UFV’s Luminescence Dating Laboratory, the only one in Western Canada. “We’re looking at electrons that accumulate in special defects in the crystals that make up the sand grains,” said Lian. “We read the little ‘clocks’ that are inside them.” Electrons accumulate over time when the sand grains are buried in a landform in the dark, and rapidly empty when exposed to light when the landform is eroded by human activity, or by natural erosion.
“So, we go to a landform and take the sand grains out very carefully so they stay in the dark. Then we take them to our laboratory that has special lighting in it so the sand grains don’t get reset by mistake, and we use experiments to read those clocks,” said Lian. The technique is used to date mineral (sand) grains that are beyond radiocarbon dating’s range of 50,000 years. Under good conditions, optical dating can date the last exposure of sand grains to light as far back as 500,000 years ago. And it is also useful for younger samples in circumstances where there is no organic material present, which is required for radiocarbon dating. An important part of Lian’s grant money will go to training UFV students. The technique is very experimental, with various experiments needing to be performed to fine-tune and test the method for different circumstances and environmental conditions. “It’s almost like we’re developing the technique every time we apply it somewhere, and that’s what makes it a great training tool for students. We have to train them on how to think, almost as someone would if they were inventing something,” said Lian. “There’s now more research and associated student training going on at UFV compared to when I arrived here 13 years ago, and it’s good. I’d like to see more, though, and more faculty members bringing in external grants to facilitate it. But then I’m greedy about things like that. I want to see more student success, and more interesting student research opportunities; involvement in real research while an undergraduate gives students a significant advantage when applying to graduate school, or when looking for employment.”
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NEWS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017
BC NDP //
NDP government restores tuition free upgrading programs JESSICA BARCLAY JR. NEWS EDITOR
Early this September, the government reinstated the tuition-free English as a Second Language (ESL) and Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs across B.C. The NDP government took action on their promise to restore free tuition for ESL and ABE programs. As of this fall semester, UFV is offering these courses free for all domestic students. ESL programs provide all levels of English instruction for students upgrading at UFV. English language proficiency is a prerequisite for the majority of post-secondary programs. ABE courses are for adults looking to earn their Adult Dogwood (also known as the B.C. Adult Graduation Diploma), or who are looking to improve their English, computer, math, or science skills. The courses also fulfill prerequisites to enroll in postsecondary programs. The introduction of the fees in 2015 led
to a decrease in enrollment for the two programs at UFV, said Dr. Sue Brigden, dean of the faculty of access and continuing education. “We have room in the existing classes that we have, that we have scheduled, and plan to schedule for the winter,” said Brigden. “So, I’m hoping that we can go back to the levels that we were prior to the implementation of tuition.” According to the UFV 2016-2017 Factbook, from the 2014/2015 school year to the 2016/2017 year, there was a 40 per cent decrease in students in the ABE programs, and a 50 per cent decrease in the ESL certification program at UFV. The announcement was made very close to the start of the school year, but Brigden has already seen an increase in students looking to enroll in upgrading courses for
the next semester. “They’re just now thinking about the winter because they now know it’s tuition free,” said Bridgen. “Most people don’t plan to go back to school with two weeks notice.” As before, auxiliary fees, parking, textbooks and semester-based fees, including fees for the Student Union Society, the U-Pass, and the campus radio and newspaper are not exempt under this policy. Brigden noted, however, that many upgrading students demonstrating financial need are eligible for government grants, such as the Adult Upgrading Grant. “Those who applied to that could get their tuition paid for, their auxiliary paid for, and textbooks, provided they met the criteria,” said Brigden. “But that’s a
“Most people don’t plan to go back to school with two weeks notice.”
whole other hoop to jump through. [Free tuition] is removing one financial barrier for many.” Brigden believes that access to free upgrading greatly benefits students. As the head of the upgrading department, and as an instructor, she has seen many reasons for students to upgrade. “I’ve found many students come back just to get their Adult Dogwood so they can be a role model for their child, and they realized that, by upgrading, they were actually capable of going and doing more education programming. They gained confidence.”
Stories worth paying attention to #CataloniaIndependence Catalan parliament discusses independence referendum Catalonia's leader said on Tuesday that he had a mandate to declare independence from Spain, following a banned referendum earlier this month. Spain’s government promised to examine “all options” in a crisis cabinet meeting hours after Catalonia’s declaration. Shortly after, in a parliamentary speech, Puigdemont called for Catalonia’s independence to be suspended to allow for negotiations with the central government. According to the Telegraph, “Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has vowed to do everything in his power to prevent the region's independence.” Rajoy has refused to rule out imposing direct rule over Catalonia, which many fear could lead to unrest. -the Telegraph
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#NetflixedTheProblem
#WeaponsAndWeapons
Netflix launches PR campaign
Canadian special forces
Netflix has been taking heat from Canadian cultural industries. Netflix is under no obligation to pay taxes and refuses to submit to any quotas on its television productions in the country.
The Canadian special forces have played a key role in “hunting down, detecting and dismantling stockpiles of chemical weapons used by Islamic State militants in Iraq, according to sources with knowledge of the top-secret operations,” according to the CBC.
After facing criticism from key-players in Canadian media industries, Netflix has begun a public-relations campaign. The campaign involves pledging $500–million on Canadian productions over the next five years in addition to the plans and production that currently exist. -The Globe and Mail
The Canadian special forces are made up of the JTF-2 counter terrorism force, regular commandos, a special helicopter detachment, and the Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit (CJIRU), which is responsible for responding to nuclear, chemical and biological attacks. According to the CBC, “Sources, with knowledge of the activities of Canada’s special forces in Iraq, but who were not authorized to speak on the record, have told The Globe and Mail that CJIRU soldiers detected and dismantled weaponized chemical components and hazardous material in Mosul between March and August of this year.” -the CBC
OPINION Federal NDP //
Jagmeet wins the leadership But what will he do with it? PANKU SHARMA STAFF WRITER
I was really hoping the NDP leadership race would go further along in the rounds of voting. I looked forward to candidates being forced to reevaluate their positions, and hone their ideas against each other. I was also looking forward to seeing how well the party could rally around the eventual winner. Jagmeet Singh had other ideas, and won in a triumphant (but not completely surprising) first round showing of 53.8 per cent of the vote on October 1. That puts him in an impressive calibre of NDP leaders, with only Tommy Douglas and Jack Layton — whose legacies define the core of the party to this day — having also won on the first ballot. There is something to the fact that he is the first permanent federal party leader from a visible minority, but I’ve always fallen into the camp of believing we need that representation for the sake of role models, not change. This doesn’t necessarily mean that life will get any better for marginalized groups, either. It’s too early to tell. Honestly, I think I would have found something to be happy with in regards to any of the choices this year; I hope that the results signal a way forward for the whole party. While Charlie Angus — the old punk rocker with solid prospects at second and third choice votes — did underperform, his and Niki Ashton’s (The progressive left wing choice who heavily courted millennials) level of support should tell Singh that there might be value in promoting progressive economic ideas — like worker’s co-ops, nationalizing key industries, and banking by mail. (I never knew this was a thing, but it sounds worthwhile after it was explained to me). He did well, but he should keep in mind that his leadership win isn’t a mandate by any stretch; only 65,000 or so registered NDP members voted, and most of those happened to be from Ontario and British Columbia. He needs to take the time to listen, to develop the party as a clear alternative to the Liberals coming into the 2019 election. It will have to be a bold alternative, one with confidence for the future, and a platform that can’t be easily borrowed by Justin. Of course, that doesn’t mean anyone should be expecting a sudden turn around or sweep, but rather a claw back of what was lost, and a reaffirmation to their base of support. Our generation of voters will have increasing sway in the coming decades, so the question needs to be asked if the status quo and overton window really reflect us. His early decision to make Guy Caron the parliamentary leader (Singh himself is not a sitting federal MP) was a good one. Caron is capable, French, and most importantly, doesn’t have the sort of big personality that will distract or diminish from the NDP’s brand building of Jagmeet. I hope similar overtures are being made with Ashton and Angus to keep them in the fold, as they have valuable talents to add to a leadership team. Strong early stances on decriminalization of drugs also keeps him in the news as more progressive and forward thinking than the Liberal government. For every failed promise, for every reluctant half measure, and for every performative gesture that doesn’t go far enough, the NDP can present stronger policy less compromised by donors, and a status quo affirming worldview. There have also been some early stumbles, such as his recent appearance on CBC’s “Power and Politics,” where Singh avoided condemning an Air India Bomber, or at least avoided trying to explain the complexity of whatever his thoughts were. Whether the line of questioning was appropriate isn’t the point — he’s was supposed to be the leader best able to finesse and navigate the media. We can chalk it up to nerves, but there is going to be pressure on him — fair or unfair — and I want to see more fight than I do flight.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017
Health //
Workplace epidemic
When a culture of work becomes a health hazard ALEISTER GWYNNE STAFF WRITER
Apparently, some sort of disease is going around, and I have fallen victim to it. Luckily for me, I haven’t had any symptoms other than a sore throat. Still, even if I were coughing up blood, I would still be expected to show up to school or work. I’d do it too, and so would you. Has anyone really stopped to think about how bizarre and nonsensical it is that sick people in our society are expected to continue working like there’s nothing wrong? The reasoning goes that, if you’re well enough to stand, you’re well enough to work. I’m fairly certain that wrestling with a cough, runny nose, sore throat, drowsiness, cramps, diarrhea, etc. can’t be good for productivity. But never mind all that, what about customers and coworkers? Why do we need to endanger them as well? It’s irresponsible, as well as cruel.
It doesn’t need to be this way. In East Asia, where hard work is valued just as much by the culture, if not more so, people who are ill will wear face masks to avoid spreading germs. Even this small precaution would make a positive difference, yet we in the West are too proud to wear them, and thus: our annual epidemics of colds and flus. There is something else at work here, something that goes beyond mere work ethic. It seems as if it is not enough to engage in work. For it to be truly edifying, you must suffer from that work also. If you can spread that blessed suffering born of honest toil to others, all the better. This is not work ethic, this is work martyrdom. This goes beyond merely forcing employees to come in sick. We see it when schools assign copious amounts of homework, even when most or all of the material could be covered in class. We see it when we
are all forced to get a paying job, even when there are clearly more people than there are jobs that need doing. We see it in the slashing of benefits and stagnation of wages, even when costs of living spiral out of control. Don’t get me wrong, hard work, and a willingness to do it, is indeed a virtue. There comes a point, however, when continuing to slog away becomes painful and counterproductive. Yet we still call it virtue when that happens. I, for one, am not at all comfortable when needless suffering is considered “good” by society. So please, let your sick and wounded go home. There is nothing you will lose that would not be lost anyway. Labour and its fruits may well be valuable, but (if you’ll pardon the cliché) if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.
Team names //
What signals pride for some is traumatic for others JEFF MIJO OPINION EDITOR
There’s been a commotion about Simon Fraser University’s sports teams recently. Not anything to do with the sports themselves, or anything the players have done, but rather the name given to their team decades ago. That name is “The Clan,” and especially in light of the re-emergence of hate groups into the mainstream media south of the border, that word comes with a lot of connotations. The conversation started last month when SFU philosophy professor Holly Anderson launched a petition to change the name of the team — which is a nod to Simon Fraser’s Scottish roots — out of respect for American, especially African-American, players on teams that The Clan competes with as a part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). While the innocent meaning of the word fits in with the Scottish heritage of the school, in the States, it’s more commonly associated with the notorious anti-black, anti-Semitic terrorist group, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). As one would expect, the reaction to this petition has been strong, and decidedly mixed. I understand there’s a lot of tradition tied in with sports names, and a sense of pride in representing your university. I also understand the objection that the word “clan” isn’t inherently offensive — as a person of some Scottish descent who enjoys learning about his heritage, I know my ancestral clan, and even their tartan and motto. But I also am not so fixated on maintaining a history and tradition that I think it’s more important than showing solidarity with people for whom the name evokes severe generational trauma. For one thing, it’s not like the KKK is ancient history — all the horrible things you associated with them happened well into the 20th century, and the organization, and others like it, exist all across the States to this day, even more so since being emboldened by Trump’s blatant white supremacy and xenophobia. As Canadians, we did not learn the full extent of atrocities committed against black people — not just by the KKK, but by the general white American populace. Within the lifetime of our grandparents, it was common for white families
in the South to attend hangings as part of a Sunday lunch. There are photographs of these lynchings showing people smiling and laughing, as the bodies hang in the background. In an interview with the CBC, Anderson explained that “in the U.S., it is as bad as a pretty bad swear word,” and using it evokes these painful traumas needlessly. It’s not just an American problem, either. Remember October last year, when the KKK left flyers on doorsteps in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission? These are not distant issues, these are not other people’s problems, these are real people making real threats against members of our communities. After those flyers showed up, do you think every student at UFV wrote it off as nothing to worry about? I sincerely doubt it. I’m sure for a lot of our fellow students it was unsettling, unnerving, and scary. So if those students were on our athletic teams, what do you think went through their minds the next time they played against SFU? It’s also not like SFU would have to give up their whole Scottish brand if they switched the name — Anderson suggested using “The Tartans,” which was SFU’s first student newspaper, or “The Pipers,” in acknowledgement to their famous band. I understand that there’s a pushback right now against the “culture of offense,” and people will say it’s just a word and we’re being too sensitive. But honestly? Words have power, and if it’s a word that’s making people severely uncomfortable, a word that means all of SFU’s athletes have to awkwardly explain its origins to their American counterparts for fear of being thought of as racist, a word that conjures up images of centuries of hateful violence that largely had no consequence for the perpetrators, then I’m okay with changing it. And if I heard tomorrow that the word “Cascades” evoked painful memories in marginalized groups of our society, I’d be all for changing the name of our sports team, and this very publication. I love language, I value the historic meaning of words, and I appreciate my own Scottish heritage. It’s just that I care even more strongly about letting people enjoy their lives with at at least one less reminder of how horrible the world can be — and has been.
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017
Monkey Toes
Not all fun and names As an editor here at The Cascade, I see a lot of names — contributor’s names, professor’s names, the names of people having opinion articles written about them — and I try to make sure they’re spelled correctly, though mistakes certainly do happen. But I’ve noticed one underreported issue with modern technology (though maybe it’s just my white privilege to think it’s underreported and rarely discussed): non-English names and spell checkers. While it’s not uncommon to see that squiggly red line under my uncommon Hungarian surname, I’ve certainly never met a spell checker that took issue
with “Jeff.” But when adding someone with a non-European name to my phone’s contacts, I inevitably have to tell my autocorrect that no, I really did mean to spell it that way. And now, while editing a story about Jagmeet Singh, I saw that red line under both of his names. Jagmeet is one thing, but Singh? It’s not exactly a rare name — it ranks in the top 100 most common in Canada. But apparently Google Docs’ spell check doesn’t know it. I added it as a word to my spell checker, but I really shouldn’t have to.
I would love to be more ambidextrous. I don’t practice often enough, but I think I could eventually get pretty decent if I did. However, there’s also something to be said for having dexterous feet, especially for those of us who like to be efficient. (I prefer “efficient” to “lazy.”) Dropped a pen on the ground? No need to bend over! Pet your cat or dog while you’re on the computer! Adjust the volume while playing a game you can’t pause! (Bit of a risky one here, depending on remote style and precision level.) Have to open a door, but your hands are full? No problem! (This one also requires some balancing skills.) Not to mention it’s always fun to pinch people and freak them out with your crazy monkey toes. With enough practice, who knows? Maybe someday you could even take notes while simultaneously having your hands free! Just think of all the new multitasking possibilities!
Kat Marusiak
Jeff Mijo
Brief bits of bite sized brevity
SNAPSHOTS
Curtailed commentary on current conditions
Fandumb I feel like most people, at some point in their lives, recognize the difference between being a fan, and being part of a fandom. Fandoms can be good, but for the most part, as soon as something gets popular, the worst parts of its audience get louder. There are viewers out there who are watching Rick and Morty, and for some reason think Rick is the hero to emulate. Yeah, it’s just a cartoon — but the writing is smart, smarter than the people whose main takeaway is that being an obnoxious asshole is good, as long as you have the skills and science (which these people usually don’t) to back it up. So what’s that led to? That brewing toxicity in the subculture evolved into female writers and staff on the show being harassed and doxxed, and into minimum wage employees at McDonald’s being yelled at by trolls over goddamn Szechuan sauce. Get a grip, you’re embarrassing everyone else, as well as Papa Harmon. Also, other than the mayo, McDonald’s has always been mid-tier at best when it comes to fast food sauce. Period.
Online school: pretty cool
Panku Sharma Illustrations: Amara Gelaude
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I just want to take a minute to say how happy I am that UFV offers online classes, and quite a few of them. While there’s definitely something about a classroom setting that can’t be replicated, no matter how many discussion posts are required, I’ve made a habit of taking one of my classes online each semester, just to give myself more flexibility, and less commuting, in my schedule. It’s also been great for classes where I’ve had a harder time following information, because it’s easier to go at my own pace than in a classroom, but also for classes where I’m already fairly knowledgeable at the subject, be-
cause I can safely speed through the portions that I have a solid understanding of. On top of that, for me, it meant I could safely spend the Thanksgiving long weekend (and a couple extra days) at my girlfriend’s house in the States, without skipping any classes or falling behind on my work. So while I wouldn’t want to switch to online only, I’m going to keep trying to take at least one online course a semester, just to give myself at least a modicum of freedom.
Jeff Mijo
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017
Basketball //
Rowing //
Cascades’ baseball program is back for another season
RACHELLE STRELEZKI VARSITY WRITER
The Cascades’ baseball team is back, and ready to compete this season. UFV’s baseball club was started in the 2016-2017 season. The team competes in the Canadian College Baseball Conference (CCBC). Over the summer, training consisted of a mini-camp in August to help players get fit and ready to play in the fall. The team is coached by Shawn Corness. In an interview, Shawn discussed the upcoming season. What are some of the challenges that you faced starting a baseball program at UFV? Some of the challenge in starting the UFV program was the timing of getting the franchise, which was in May of 2015, and with that we had very little time to recruit for September of that year. In saying that, we were lucky enough to have a group of players that had played previously. They would like to be the first to start a brand new university program, so with that started the recruiting process. In the first fall of the program, we ended up bringing in 30 players.
ments on the offensive side. Our roster this year will be good mix of returning players, with the addition of some top freshman recruits. Who are the team captain(s)? Our main captains this year will be Ryan Green and Dylan Emmons. Assisting them will be a sixplayer leadership group, as well. What does your season look like? Our fall schedule runs from September to the third week of October, with primarily inter-squad games every weekend. Our spring season kicks off with a spring training trip to Arizona in late February. Conference season starts the third weekend of March with a 34 game schedule, and the championships begin in May in Kamloops. Last year, in our first championship season, we finished in second place in league play, and third in the championship. I believe we took away from that season the knowledge that, in a short period of time, we were and are ready to compete for the overall championship.
“We continue to develop the program through aggressive recruiting across the country, as well as putting quite possibly the best coaching staff in the country together.”
How are you hoping to develop as a new team? We continue to develop the program through aggressive recruiting across the country, as well as putting quite possibly the best coaching staff in the country together. Pitching coach Kyle Lotzkar was a former first-round draft pick with the Cincinnati Reds. We also have infield coach Wes Darvill, a fifth-round pick with the Chicago Cubs. In addition, newly-added Jordan Lennerton, who was just recently retired from Triple A with the Detroit Tigers. What are your team’s strengths this season? Our team’s strength this year will be our pitching staff. However, we are showing big improve-
Who is your biggest rivalry team? Our biggest rival closest to us would be Thompson Rivers University; but overall, I think it will be Prairie Baseball Academy out of Lethbridge. What is your past experience with baseball and coaching?
Cascade rowers place third at head of the river RACHELLE STRELEZKI VARSITY WRITER
The UFV rowing club travelled to Nicomekl River at Crescent Beach for the Head of the River Regatta on Saturday, September 23. This regatta is a six-kilometre race on a challenging course. The course consisted of rowing through river and ocean. Rowers were forced to face currents and changing tide. When the tide would go out, it created less water for the boats to maneuver. The channel is relatively small with 93 boats scattered throughout, all trying to find a straight course to the finish. In order to get to the start line, rowers had to first row the six kilometer stretch. This impacted the athletes because rowing that far before a race is exhausting. Due to the fact that this is a sixkilometre race, the course had a tough turnaround point. If rowers take the turn too wide, then they lose valuable time. If rowers take the turn too narrow, they could risk hitting the buoy, and flipping their boat. Three boats represented UFV at the regatta. The competing boats were a men’s double, men’s single, and a women’s double. All
boats competed in high-caliber categories. The men’s double was new to rowing in a double, and gained respected experience racing in small boats. The men’s single placed seventh out of 13 boats in their category. In the women’s double, Jayme Reistma rowed as stroke, at the stern. Michelle Olive raced from the bow. The women’s double placed third in their category. In an interview, head coach of rowing, Liz Chisholm, said, “Overall the women’s doubles technique was solid, and they gained experience that will help them improve their skills, and to make better decisions for upcoming regattas.” The athletes were able to practice making calls, and kept good technique even when racing a challenging course. “We came away with what I had hoped. It was good to know how they were able to manage such a challenging course,” said Chisholm.
I started coaching university baseball 15 years ago with Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and in my second year we won the CCBC Championship. From there, I went on to become the pitching coach and head assistant coach at UBC, and after 10 years I was given the opportunity to start the program at UFV. It has been a great start, and I am excited to be able to coach a young and energetic group of players that have committed to putting UFV on the baseball map.
UFV Cascades scores Mens Soccer:
Womens Soccer:
Cascades won 2-1 to TRU
TRU won 4-0
Cascades lost 4-0 to TRU
TRU won 5-0 7
Gl ak ’lorg’s K at he xis Written by: Caleb Campbell Illustrated & Designed by: Caleb Campbell
of creatures followed whatever the chumble next to it did without any hesitation. Often, chumbles such as these were simply reacting to a change in water temperature nearby, which could be a sign of predators, such as a fynk, or a gang of henkett. Though in the chumbles defence, they don’t have the advantage of long-range scanning equipment to assist them in such deductions, Glak’lorg mused to itself. I guess it’s just a different life for a chumble, at least they’ve company while endlessly searching out their next meal; I’m out here on my own with no back up at all. The plimpf began to make noise again, though this time it was a calmer and sustained hum, the clumpy strands coating its body slowly lifted and pointed toward an object in the distance — attracted by an unseen force. Glak’lorg turned to see which direction its strands were pointed in, then switched over to manual control. The control nozzle extended from above its gyro chair and slotted into an implant in Glak’lorg’s back. Once connected to the directional control, Glak’lorg steered in the direction which the plimpf pointed out. As the plimpf’s humming grew louder and deeper, a grey shape came into view ahead of the small iridescent vessel, dwarfing it like a gathykilorp next to the seed of a Hoffajikkle bush. The outline came into sharper focus as the vessel came near to it. Glak’lorg whistled with relief at the sight. Finally, it had reached its destination: the core of Kathexis.
Prologue The planet was a darkened blue dot. There were no other celestial bodies nearby to give off or reflect light, save for one ancient red giant, millions of miles from the planet’s surface. It spun quietly in the formless void. To those who exist within it, the planet was called Kathexis. At the surface, waves crashed beneath a thin veil of atmospheric clouds. Dark liquid churned to a froth as the waves jump; this planet was devoid of land, and the sea was vast, deep, and unending. The atmosphere sat extremely close to the sea, therefore no airborne life had ever developed. Beneath the roiling whitecaps and swells, there existed a boundless fountain of life. Thousands upon thousands of creatures, endlessly adrift in the all-encompassing ocean of Kathexis. Kathexis had once been one of 13 planets in this solar system. Each of the planets had its own unique and extreme climates. This system functioned in orbital harmony for billions of years, with Kathexis being the furthest from the central star of the solar system. Around 10.4 billion years ago, this solar system was met with great disaster. The already complex and interwoven orbits of the 13 planets became increasingly imbalanced as they began to amass huge numbers of smaller orbiting objects and satellite moons. This led to the rotation of orbits becoming exponentially more erratic until, eventually, the magnetic fields of two planets rebounded off of one another, throwing huge rocks into nearby planets. This resulted in further planetary chaos, coming to a final head when 12 of the planets, in a tight-knit, clustered rotation of spheres about 50 million miles from the sun, began to fuse together and build pressure inside. The immense pressure and heat generated at the core of this grouping eventually built up an extremely dense mass and imploded, forming a black hole. The black hole then reeled in the remaining two objects: Kathexis, and the sun. As they hit the event horizon, they began to warp, stretching into eggs which dissolved and whirled into infinite fractals until it was all just muddy darkness. You may think this destroyed or otherwise brought an end to the system quite neatly, but what resulted from the sun and Kathexis entering into the black hole was actually an amazing fusion of energies. Over time, as the black hole moved through space, it began showing signs of development. Instead of increasing in density and absorbing nearby matter, it actually began to exhibit a more gaseous and light-emitting form. The now roughly spherical object had come to rest in orbit around a new star. Kathexis had been reborn, reforged, and fused with its previous sun, the black hole serving as the forge of their union. Kathexis was now, after eons of change and evolution, 80 per cent liquid, five per cent atmosphere, 15 per cent land, and a home for countless beings, though none as central as those at its core. Beings who had developed cognitively ahead of their neighbouring species, and built a city at the planet’s core; they took up the name of the Kathexi, or Kathexians. Strange bulbous sac creatures they were, propped up on tight-packed groupings of tentacles which they used to move about, whether on land or in liquid. Six lidless black eyes sat in triad clusters on either side of small clicking mandibles, viewing the world in their own unique spectrum of light. And, sprouting out from their head sacs on each side, were four lengthy flagellum with little wiggling noodle appendages at their tips, to grip and touch. These creatures lived a life of relative ease compared to the constant life or death struggle in the deeps, for they had claimed the only dry land in the entire planet: the core. From there, they launched all sorts of inquisitive missions and patrols, hunting parties, and other jaunts. One such patrol vessel contained a very important Kathexian named Glak’lorg. Well, not really important in the sense that Glak’lorg was a great hero, or spiritual leader praised and known throughout all Kathexis — quite the opposite in fact, since it was a reclusive type who didn’t mix with other Kathexians, leading to it being mostly unknown by many of its peers. Glak’lorg was important because it was different. It was a curious thinker. It felt something out of place and anomalous with just about everything in its life. It had too many questions without answers or even phrasing in the first place. As it buzzed through the ocean currents on its preplotted patrol route, it was upset, though abundantly thoughtful about its situation. It felt lost, even though it knew exactly where it would be from each moment to the next without hesitation. Adrift in a sea of unknown context.
Chapter One Glak’lorg felt a tickle in the xalx region of its dik’ed gland and snorted suddenly, thereby disturbing the shaggy plimpf which had previously lay motionless in the corner of Glak’lorg’s patrol vessel. The plimpf bolted upright on all 48 of its twiggy legs, its 12 beaks chirped incessantly with a husky warble that echoed painfully inside the small chamber. Glak’lorg wheeled around in its gyro-chair to face the offending plimpf. “XAGHK XAGHK SOI DIKUS FUGHKT,” coughed Glak’lorg at the plimpf, roughly translating to, “SHUT THE FUCK UP XAGHK XAGHK.” Heeled by Glak’lorg’s outburst, the plimpf quieted itself and lay back down. Then, with a frustrated splutter, Glak’lorg turned back to its control board. The board was covered in gnarled runes of different sizes and colours, some vibrating gently, and others straining and wiggling as if they could hardly bear another second of not being clicked. Glak’lorg twisted one such node and held it in position until it squeaked twice. At the sound of the second squeak, a hole began opening up in front of Glak’lorg, expanding slowly to create a viewing port where previously there had only been oily, blue membrane surrounding the entire inside of the control chamber. The hole expanded until it was large enough to see out of. A whole world opened up before Glak’lorg’s small, glassy eyes. At first, all that was visible through the port was more of the dark blue substance that made up Kathexis’ ocean, with dancing clouds of green which Glak’lorg knew not to get close to. Thousands of glowing motes swirled within the light beams emitted by the pod, tiny lifeforms too small to be seen as anything more than a dot careening wildly, caught up in the pull of the warring currents. Glak’lorg briefly entertained a thought of itself being amongst these miniscule beings, who could be so carefree as to throw themselves to the mercy of the sea. Whereas it, a distinguished member of the “KATHEXI PAHG KATIRG” (Kathexis Patrol Committee), had to obey orders, and follow every procedure within its mandate exactly. At least I don’t have to worry about getting eaten by a feckl, Glak’lorg reminded itself. A tightly packed squadron of chumbles cascaded past the viewport with a flash of yellow, momentarily blocking it off completely. Little dart-shaped lifeforms covered in semi-translucent hairs with wide-eyed, panicked expressions, dodged and turned in unison, frantically outmaneuvering some unseen assailant. Glak’lorg knew they were in no actual danger, though. The entire group
Chapter Two No Kathexians gave much thought to the origin of their planet, such information was said to be a guarded secret amongst the “KATHEXI HEHF SAGHK” (Kathexi Historical Society). This didn’t exactly worry the vast majority of Kathexians in the ongoing process of their lives, though it was definitely somewhat of a point of contention amongst some Kathexian misanthropes and skeptics, who thought that such groups should be more transparent with such knowledge, so that all could learn the history of their home. Mostly just Glak’lorg though. In reality, no Kathexi had ever truly known the extremely unlikely series of events which led to their planet’s existence. The core itself was quite small (in relation to Kathexis’ ocean, which comprised around 80 per cent of Kathexis’ total volume), a porous rock which took up only 15 per cent of the planet’s mass, with a surrounding atmospheric pocket. The Kathexians who lived within it were a peaceful species, killing only for food, spending the majority of their time worshipping the innermost magnetic core of the huge rock formation, which they called Id. They believed that their connection to the energy of Id was vital to keep them safe from the crushing weight of the ocean. There had been many generations beforehand that developed amazing and useful technology, though in another ancient era there had been a devouring plague which killed off almost all of the already small populace. The surviving remainder took solace near the Id and quarantined themselves to stay alive, though they primarily attributed their survival to the Id being a benevolent magical being. Remnants of the technology were still in use, but the understanding of the intricate systems has never been the same as it once was.
Chapter Four
Chapter Three The entire craft shuddered as it passed through the membrane between the core and the sea, and the plimpf had just fallen silent and still once again. It was a short travel to the landing port, and Glak’lorg relished any chance at non-automated control. It maneuvered the pod awkwardly towards the port, jerking around violently as the air currents bullied it about. Eventually, though not without struggle, Glak’lorg screeched triumphantly across the deck. After apologizing profusely to the furious deck attendant, and returning both its cruiser and plimpf back to the storage bay, Glak’lorg slunk tiredly into a transport tube, and closed four of its six eyes. As Glak’lorg was pulled towards the core down a tubular passage in the rock, worn to a glossy sheen by countless years of use, it let its mind wander to its usual subject: significance. Every time Glak’lorg got inside the tube and closed its eyes, it felt as though it was a death of some sort. As though all the things it had done between the last time it was in the tube and now had been a similar grouping of occurrences. It felt as though, just by doing this same action every time it returned from a patrol, it created a sort of significant event. Kathexians used these tubes constantly, they were the best way of getting around inside the complex inner structures hewn into the rock, though Glak’lorg really only used them to get between its rest chamber and the takeoff areas. Most Kathexians felt that these long trips were monotonous, but for Glak’lorg, the recurring moment felt like something deeper that it couldn’t understand. Glak’lorg opened its eyes to see that it had come to a stop outside its rest chamber, a stasis tank sat humming and at the ready in the back right side corner. It should be noted at this point, that Kathexis does not have “days” in the way that some planets do, since the nearby red giant star was now old, and very near to death. All time was experienced in the same level of dull light offcast by the plethora of different creatures on Kathexis which emitted bioluminescent light. This resulted in the current generation of Kathexians not having a very strong concept of beginnings and endings in relation to their lives — beyond that of death and birth, which were also viewed in a very holistic sense. Many Kathexians saw their physical existence as a special gift from the Id which was not an important part of their overall life experience. Their most true experience of existing, which would take place mostly on a spiritual plane of existence, was a never-ending path that would inevitably come around again to a physical existence on Kathexis at some point or other. Glak’lorg lingered at the entrance of its room for a moment, and then emitted a low warbling whistle, which fell dully into the dry air. Another moment of significance that it had noted. Too tired to go anywhere or do anything other than cleanse itself, it lumbered across the room to its stasis tank.
Inside of Glak’lorg’s dreams, it floated far away from its body to the outermost membrane of Kathexis. It stared out into nothingness. The red giant sun was much more clear and bright than ever before as Glak’lorg looked upon it now. It seemed so much closer, almost enveloping all that could be seen, burning brighter and brighter. Glak’lorg felt itself be pulled out into the cold space. Rather than attempting to escape this pull, Glak’lorg let itself be removed from the grip of Kathexis and drawn out. It began making a slow, wobbly progression across the featureless vacuum. Glak’lorg turned to one side and peered out into the dark. It saw a very small light! It had never seen another light, other than the red giant within its life period! Squinting at the dot made it a bleary doubled-over twist of light, which rapidly expanded towards Glak’lorg. Glak’lorg squeaked in shock as its sight was overtaken by the now blinding light. It felt its body stretch out and tingle all over, bumpy scribbles of light washed past its eyes in colourful watery streaks. Ringing from all directions was a deafening howl, and the clattering static of particles crashing violently against each other. It’s body either felt massive and extremely compact at the same time, or it was fluctuating so quickly that it could no longer tell. It became overwhelmed and cried out, but its voice was the same as the ringing howl, and joined it in harmony as its body dissolved into a mist. The red giant had gone supernova, and the resulting thermonuclear heat wave vaporized a huge section of the water upon the side of Kathexis facing it, superheating the remainder to a boiling point, and causing an explosive reaction within the planet’s inner atmospheric core — all whilst Glak’lorg floated, unconscious and dreaming, in its stasis tank. The Kathexians who had survived such hardships and disadvantages throughout their constantly tenuous existence had suddenly been shifted as a whole to another portion of their existence. Along with every single chumble, henkett, fynk, pyrxia, ithicci, gathykilorp, feckl, plimpf, jukkafyllu, and Hoffajikkle bush.
Chapter Five Over time, what was left of the small planet was pulled into the now highly volatile and gaseous star, and consumed by its blazing radioactive inferno. There still sat a very small bit of light, barely visible in the radiant glow of the star, but definitely a fixed point in space. The Id. It remained with a haze of particulate rock surrounding it, a tiny ball of material, vibrating gently, and reflecting brilliantly in the light. The sphere stopped buzzing suddenly and the collected dust particles began to float away slowly. Then it launched upward, accelerating away rapidly. It streaked through space, picking up momentum, through galaxies and solar systems, past dying and newly developed stars, through black holes and gaseous nebula clouds of unfathomable proportion, picking up and collecting particles of matter as it soared across the cosmos. This mysterious celestial traveler has almost reached its destination. As the sphere careened wildly through an asteroid belt, it finally came in contact with its final ingredient. This triggered a reaction which propelled the sphere directly into the side of the planet nearest to it, carving a crater and blasting hot winds in every direction across the planet’s surface. The sphere cracked open like an egg. Smoke poured thick from its jagged mouth.
Howls of the Kathexi rang forth amongst the haze. The dark fog rolled out across the crater in heavy clouds. Pointy tendrils of glowing blue emerged. They stretched out and twisted crazily in spirals, searching for a placehold on the surface. The smoke eventually dissolved into the air and drastically affected the atmosphere, and the tendrils covered up a large portion of the land. The sudden changes in pressure and chemical balance caused by the Id arriving set the planet on a now irreversible course towards sentient life. The sphere clasped its halves back together. It then glowed red hot, and sank to the core of the planet to join with its central essence.
Epilogue The planet is now a pale blue dot. It has a sun and an assortment of other celestial bodies nearby to reflect light, especially one small grey moon, thousands of miles from the planet’s watery surface. It sits in a unique and expansive solar system. To those who exist upon it, the planet is called Earth. Franklin Lloyd Doppelhungen Jr. felt a tickle in the pharynx region of his eustachian tube and sneezed quite violently and sloppily, thereby disturbing the old yellow retriever dog, Hondo, which had previously lay motionless in the corner of Franklin Jr.’s pick up truck. The dog bolted upright on all four of its fuzzy legs, barking repeatedly with a throaty hack. Franklin Jr. snapped his sunburnt face toward the tawny dog and cried out “SHUT THE FUCK UP HONDO, I ONLY SNEEZED FER FUCK SAKE,” in a husky voice. At the sound of Franklin Jr.’s reprimand, the old dog quieted to a low rumbling growl as it lay back down in its original resting place. Franklin Jr. then turned to face the steering wheel and started up the truck with a frustrated splutter. The truck had a large dashboard covered in layers of sun-faded and peeling stickers and symbols of different sizes and colours, some with loud vulgarity plastered in block letters, and others simply for a radio station or bands logo. Franklin Jr. picked at one such sticker absently as he drove, thinking of the lush tree-covered valley to which he was heading. As the growling truck rounded the curve of a small mountain, the trees seemed to peel back, revealing a distant lake which winked like fish scales in the sunlight. Franklin Jr. spotted a pull off space with a viewing area, and slowed down to park and walk out to the vantage point. After hiking a short ways into the brush, he came to a spot where a few branches were the only thing blocking off the view of the valley, tied up Hondo, and walked over to the edge. As Franklin Jr. brushed aside the coniferous branches, he momentarily felt overtaken with emotion as he looked out over the valley, as though the splendor which he saw before him was somehow not fully graspable, and yet so clearly alive and vibrantly tangible. A whole world opened up before Franklin Jr.’s squinted brown eyes.
CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017
Student club //
Palestine student group brings human rights to the forefront with film series MARTIN CASTRO ARTS EDITOR
Among the many student clubs at UFV, the Palestine Student Club, chaired by Kapil Sharma, might appear to students as one of the most intimidating options of student involvement at UFV, but as Sharma himself tells us, the story’s just the opposite. The club, which has a membership of around 15 people, is actually in the stages of formalizing its existence. “The group hasn’t officially launched,” said Sharma, the group’s president. “We’ve got a president, a person who committed to be secretary, and a treasurer. We should be finishing the constitution in the coming weeks.” The group focuses its efforts towards advocacy and education, while making the sometimes-daunting topic of the Palestine/ Israel conflict as accessible as they can to students. Sharma said that a lack of familiarity with the topic shouldn’t discourage students from joining, as the group’s activ-
ities will naturally include education about the conflict. “Some of it is just learning. We’re going to do a lot of things, but talking, discussing, is really important.” UFV has played host to films and panel discussions on the Palestine-Israel conflict previously. Panelists included UFV alumni Colter Louwerse and Philip Sherwood. Sharma said events in the near future could include panels. “We’ve been talking about having an event in November. Having different people, Palestinians, share in a panel format, share their stories and their experience of occupation there, and the vision that they see for the future.” As well, a series of films has been scheduled for the fall semester, the first of which, Occupation 101, was shown on October 5. The next scheduled film, Budrus, will be shown on October 18 at 3:30 p.m. in room B121. Sharma said that the Palestine student group affords students a unique opportunity to get involved on campus, and par-
ticipate in a student-driven effort to learn about a pressing human rights issues. More than that, Sharma asserted that the growth garnered from involvement in a student group of this nature is boundlessly beneficial. “There’s nothing wrong with being a diligent student, but something will happen in your life. It might be travel, or some people get interested when they go through a big injustice. If you don’t practice justice, and just get an education for education’s sake, it will rob you, I think, as a human.” Moreover, the group is not only an opportunity for students to form a community based on shared collegiate and humanitarian interests, but also an opportunity to become a leader in one of UFV’s newest and most ambitious student groups. “I don’t want to be the only one speaking,” says Sharma. “There is the expectation that within a year, year and a half, people will be able to grow to speak with some authority on the matter.” For now, Sharma said, the issue of Palestinian human rights remains as pressing
as ever. “There are so many other issues we care about, but with many of those issues — from child abuse to whatever — there is a recognition that it’s wrong. With this one, people don’t even know that people are being frisked on their way to work, have no access to clean water, [that] houses are being sold for real estate purposes, or about the disproportionate attacks on villages. Children are being used as human shields.” The Palestine Film Series at UFV will run until November 15, and will showcase films on October 18, November 2, and November 15. All will be screened in B121 at 3:30 p.m. on their respective date. For more information about the Palestine student group, or how to get involved, contact Kapil Sharma at kapsharma1@ gmail.com.
Berry festival //
A very “Fraser Valley” kickoff to fall
What you missed at the 22nd Annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival CASSIE DE JONG CULTURE & EVENTS EDITOR
Each season has its ups and downs, but nothing catches our interests quite like fall. The sweltering heat of summer is gone, replaced by crisp, cool weather, and a long list of things to be excited about. You can finally dig out your favorite sweaters and boots from the closet, and the holiday season starts to take effect with Thanksgiving and Halloween. October marks the time when fall is finally in full swing, which makes it the perfect time for the 22nd Annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival. On October 7, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., citizens and tourists hailing from all corners of the Fraser Valley made an appearance at the Cranberry Festival to celebrate a beautiful beginning to the fall season. The public buzzed with enthusiasm about the recent season change. The bulk of the market and festivities took place down Glover Road, the main street of Fort Langley, though the surrounding streets were teeming with activity as well. More celebrations could be found around the corner at the Fort Langley National Historic Site, and also down by the river where canoe tours of the Fraser were taking place. With an estimated 60,000 people in attendance, this massive festival puts Abbotsford’s Berry Festival
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to shame. The festival is so popular that cars were lined up outside the town for at least 25 minutes of walking, most likely due to the fact that parking was free and therefore difficult to find. The market was massive, stretching from St. Andrew’s United Church, all the way to the train tracks at the end of town. The list of vendors included artisans showcasing their knitting, carving, jewelry, and other crafts. The air was filled with the scents from baked goods, jams, salts, fudges, and cured meats. You could find liquors of all sorts from local distilleries, wineries, and breweries. Food trucks lined an entire side street. Dozens more booths were selling items such as soaps, candles, and much more. It was all cranberry themed or flavoured. This was an excellent opportunity for the town to showcase its local farms, and they did not disappoint. Fresh cranberries were available for purchase by the main stage area. 10,000 pounds of them were being sold for as little as three dollars per bag. On the main stage in front of the city hall, local band Her Brothers performed, but the music did not stop there. Everywhere you looked, there was live music to be seen and heard. In one direction, a most impressive strings and blues band formed of local
friendly elderly gentlemen. In the other, violinists lined the streets, both in groups and solo acts, the musicians’ ages varied widely. There were also a series of cranberry themed events that took place at the Fort Langley National Historic Site during the festival, such as a cranberry stomp, races, a scavenger hunt, cooking demos, and a fashion show. Among the success of this event, there was one flaw: basic festival information was not readily available. Several key booths were unable to provide information such as the stage lineup and attraction listings, nor could they identify a place to find this knowledge. There was no program guide to be found, nor a map locating key areas. For future festivals, it may be wise for the organizers to consider printing items such as these, or setting up a booth where festival goers may be able to attain this information. Overall, the festival was a massive success. The market, music, and other events were engaging, informative, and brought the community together in celebration. Highlighting local artisans, musicians, businesses, and more, was only one aspect of the event. The Cranberry Festival serves to inspire excitement and the spirit of fall in the people of the Fraser Valley, and it did just that.
CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017
Art of the month
Bitch, Dick, and Prick By Jenny Kingma Fired clay with underglaze finish
Artist statement: “All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness.” — Eckhart Tolle My work comes from a place of stillness. In the stillness I find direction, and I follow it. I like to address topics that provoke change, and need to be talked about. I use humour with a snippet of whimsy. With humour, serious matters are more easily digested. If I can open a door to a shift in perception, or in opinion, or a slight tickle of empathy, my work is successful. This piece addresses the judgement we place on others, and our lack of empathy for what we don’t understand. It is easier to judge and
be closed minded than to be curious and open minded. We never know someone in their entirety; their past, their present, their future. Therefore, we cannot judge. Bio: As a child, I spent my time making art, and I never grew out of it as many people do; it became a large part of who I am. It satisfied my need for attention and the admiration of others. After many years of perfecting my skills through the use of Playdough, I progressed to fired clay. In this medium, I did not have to worry about having my work crushed by my adorable, and at times annoying, little brother Clayton. R.I.P. Clayton 1988-2017
Cascade events calender
Oct 11: Annual Diwali Festival of Light Oct 16: Skin Tactility Opening Reception @ S’eliyemetaxwtexw Gallery (Abbotsford Community Event @ Clarke Theatre Mission, 5:00 - 8:30 p.m. Campus), 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Oct 12: Mighty Speck Unity Tour - Mission Oct 18: Folio Thinking @ Canada Education Park (Chilliwack Campus), 1:30 - 2:30 @ The Stage in Mission, 8:00 - 11:30 p.m. p.m. Oct 13: Info Session: 2018 London, Iceland, Journaling Workshop @ Room A315 (AbParis Study Tour @ Room A312 (Abbotsford Campus) 2:30 botsford Campus), 5:45 - 7:45 p.m. p.m. Info Session: 2018 London, Iceland, Paris Study Tour @ Room A305 (Abbotsford Mighty Speck Unity Tour - Abbotsford @ The Reach (Abbotsford), 7:00 - 10:00 Campus) 10:00 a.m. p.m. Oct 19: Play: It’s a Glorious, Wonderful Life Campbell + Green @ The Stage in Mission, @ Matsqui Centennial Auditorium (Abbotsford), 8:45 p.m. 7:30 - 11:59 p.m. Blessed/Wares/Kristin Witko @ Carport Oct 20: West Coast Women’s Show @ Tradex (Abbotsford), 1:00 - 9:30 p.m. Manor (Abbotsford), 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. Oct 14: Handmade + Small Shops Market in the Fall @ Tzeachten Hall (Chilliwack), 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. All 90s DJ Dance Party @ The Stage in Mission, 8:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. Oct 15: Brushes & Lushes @ Memento Mori Studios (Abbotsford), 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
MOVE Fashion Show @ Abbotsford Arts Centre, 6:30 - 10:30 p.m. 2nd National Character Canada Conference: @ Abbotsford Senior Secondary School, 7:30am - 3:00 p.m.
Art of the Week is a recurring feature that highlights the visual arts work of UFV students. In conjunction with the Visual Arts Student Association (VASA), The Cascade chooses the works of multiple artists to be featured each week. To submit your work, please send an image, 50 word bio, 150 word artist statement, and image list with titles, mediums, sizes, and dates of creation (must be within the past year) to:
artofthemonth@ufvcascade.ca. Limit of three submissions per person, per month. Selected works may be displayed at The Cascade lounge, in room S2111 of the Abbotsford UFV campus. The deadline for submissions is October 25.
In October 4, 2017 issue of The Cascade, the featured Art of the Month was erroneously credited to Sharon Clarke. The artist’s name is spelled Sharon Clark. Note: Some of these events require tickets, most are on Facebook. If something catches your eye, take to the internet for more details.
Oct 21: West Coast Women’s Show @ Tradex (Abbotsford), 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
4th Annual Native Art Gala @ Ruby Creek Art Gallery (Agassiz), 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Play: It’s a Glorious, Wonderful Life @ Matsqui Centennial Auditorium (Abbotsford), 12:00 p.m. & 8:45 p.m.
Nov 4: The Vintage Barn Market at Christmas @ Chilliwack Heritage Park, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Oct 22: West Coast Women’s Show @ Tradex (Abbotsford), 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Grand Opening of Temple Entertainment @ 2603 W Railway St (Abbotsford), 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The Hague/Guilt Trap/Atodaso @ Carport Manor (Abbotsford), 8:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Oct 25: Future of Food: Global Food Systems and Food Security: @ Student Union Building (Abbotsford Campus), 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Nov 6: Visions of Truth and Fantasy Book Launch @ Clearbrook Library (Abbotsford), 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Nov 7: Publishing Panel featuring Carleigh Baker @ Student Union Building (Abbotsford Campus), 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Long Night Against Procrastination @ Building G (Abbotsford Campus), Time: TBA - stay tuned for more details!
Oct 27: ArtHAUS @ The Reach (Abbotsford), 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Nov 10: Remembrance Day (Observed) – UFV CLOSED
Mollys Reech Halloween Party @ Gators Pub (Abbotsford), 8:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Play: Peter and the Starcatcher (Opening Night) @ Abbotsford Arts Centre, 7:30 p.m.
Foreigner @ Abbotsford Centre, 7:00 10:00 p.m.
Nov 3: The Vintage Barn Market at Christmas @ Chilliwack Heritage Park, 4:00 10:00 p.m.
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CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017
Traditional Chinese Painting //
Local artist leads painting workshop Visual arts student Sidi Chen on traditional Chinese painting CASSIE DE JONG CULTURE & EVENTS EDITOR
On Saturday October 7, Sidi Chen taught a free course on traditional Chinese painting techniques to the public at the Kariton Art Gallery. Chen, who has been in Canada since 2014, is a visual arts student at UFV, and former president of the Visual Arts Student Association (VASA). Attendees of the class were taught traditional methods of how to use bamboo, ink, rice paper, and fine brushes. The materials used were from China, and though you can find similar materials in Canada, Chen stated that nothing is quite the same. The paper was aged 10 years, and the brushes were very old as well. The workshop provided the chance to try out brushes and techniques, but not extensively. Participants were encouraged to take as much as possible from the demo, especially since Chen stated, “I’ve been doing this for 15 years, and I’m still learning.” Chen took the time to ask people’s names, to give respect to students before beginning. He took this as an opportunity to learn from the people who might contribute to the class. Chen has been involved in the arts since
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childhood. “My training was intense for how old I was. However, the thought of giving up never really happened in my mind. I realized later that arts had become a part of myself. It’s in my breath, heartbeat, temperature, and sleep,” he said. With such a strong background in art, it was only natural to pursue a career in it. “I’ve been doing it for 15 years, not only the style, but more importantly, the philosophies.” Chen broke his presentation down into three different sections: material, technique, and philosophy. When discussing materials, participants were taught about the integrity of rice paper, and how to properly cut it. One uses a brush and water to make a line, which can be torn, rather than using a knife or scissors. You want to use as much of its natural character as possible. Most of the time, only ink is used, though paints are popular as well. All natural pigments from stones or flowers are used to make the paints and inks. These you must be careful with, as they are very sensitive to the elements. Chen explained how to combine all this knowledge and approach techniques. In a
brushstroke, one uses the tip of the brush, then the full body, then the tip again. He demonstrated the desired transition between the paper, water, and ink. The movement is quick, but requires a lot of preplanning and practice. Empty space is used strategically to value what isn’t painted. There should be no parallel lines; too many connections are distracting, and one doesn’t normally use horizontal lines. Chen created and passed around examples of right and wrong compositions. Another technique he explained is to paint the backside of the thin paper to create a shadow of what you painted on the front. Some people accent their work using gold leaf, or by spraying it with tea. Sometimes, when a piece is finished, an artist paints on a layer of peanut or flower oil to make the colours even more vibrant. The group began practicing with water on newspaper before working up to ink, and then rice paper. Every attendee was given a blank sheet of the paper to take home. The demonstration ended with a few words on the philosophy of Chinese painting: “You describe the spirituality and characteristics of something, rather than
its exact image.” He also mentioned, “There [is] a lot of knowledge that is relevant to other types of arts, and way of thinking. So, I hope this workshop will benefit in the ways that they can see.” Chen currently has work displayed in the Kariton Gallery alongside artist Pepe Hidalgo for the exhibition “Through my Eyes,” a show about different cultural perspectives. Surrounded by his paintings at the presentation, he was able to give explanation and insight to compositional and philosophical elements of his work. He tries to combine Western styles with his tradition, and claims “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.” “As traditional Chinese painting uses very different materials, techniques, and philosophies, I don’t expect people can take all of them from just one workshop. However, because it is so different, I hope people can at least be inspired by one element of it, and take it back to their own practices.”
STUDY BREAK Crossword //
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017
Made by Jeff Mijo
ACROSS
DOWN
1: Warm drink with chocolate and espresso
2: Green fruit that is popular on toast
3: Artists behind “Wonderwall”
4: Half-goat men from greek mythology
5: Utensil used to eat soup
8: Baby frog
6: Toy flown in a park when windy
9: What you do when something is funny
7: Tom Cruise’s sunglasses in Top Gun 9: Spotted wildcat from Africa and Southern Asia 10: Anchored floating device 11: Last name of the man behind Ziggy Stardust 12: Popular search engine in the 1990s 13: Country with pyramids
LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS: Across: 1. Pisa 3. Thor 6. Cheap 7. Pooh 9. Ogre 11. Contagion 12. Duet 14. Zeus 16. Binge 17. Lisp 18. Orca
Down: 1. Prop 2. Arch 3. Typo 4. Rome 5. Nectarine 8. Ozone 10. Glove 12. Dahl 13. Tbsp 14. Zero 15. Saga
Illustration by: Amara Gelaude
Horoscope //
Out with the old and in with the new! Introducing Lady May as your new astrology master! From now on your weekly horoscopes will be packed with pizzazz and the painful truth. So without further ado, here are your “Weekly Astrological mysteries rudely interpreted by Lady May”
Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 You will travel to many exotic places in your life. Just remember that if you look like your passport photo, you’re too sick to travel.
Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 You won’t excel in sports this week. Stick to things like pool, or air hockey. Frogger is a good choice as well.
Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 Whatever your goal is in life, it will be yours, though your current master plan for world domination will never work. Go back to the drawing board.
Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 You are very talented in many ways. Try not to brag about this to a Leo, unless you want your spleen pulled out through your nose.
Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22 You refuse to accept anything but the best, and you very often get it. Though you are sometimes elegant and tasteful to the point of provoking nausea from loved ones.
Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19 You know what’s going on in every life in the galaxy but your own. So, I thought you’d like to know the love of your life is arriving on your planet this week.
Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 It’s a big world out here with much to do. So, do try to come out from under your bed once in awhile.
Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18 You have no sense of direction. But that doesn’t affect you, since a mastermind like you will operate your career from the comfort of your own bed.
Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 An attractive person has a message for you. They will be wearing sequins and a construction helmet. You have some very strange interests.
Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 To all who know you, you inspire laughter. Which would be great if you were trying to be funny.
Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 You are brooding emotion incarnate. You’d like to think that you are a mixture of half Plato and half Da Vinci, but some days you’re more like Edward Cullen. Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 If you have something good in your life, don’t let it go! Cocoa Puffs are excluded from this, however. They’re all mine and you can’t have any.
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ARTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017
TV review //
CHARTS 1
Alvvays Antisocialites
2
Saint Soldier Duality
3
Beth Beth
4
Kamasi Washington Harmony of Difference
5
Nashlyn Work It Out
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Chad VanGaalen Light Information
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The Wilderness of Manitoba Across the Dark
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Woolworm Deserve To Die
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The War On Drugs A Deeper Understanding
SHUFFLE AARON LEVY LIVE ACTION MIXTAPE
CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy is sick this week. Are you? In honour of his under-theweather dome, below is a shuffle of songs that refer to being less than 100 per cent healthy, either mentally or otherwise. SSM — Sick I discovered this record in 2005 by completing music reviews for Exclaim!, Canada’s Music Authority! Produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, this record is chock-full of authentic Detroit rock city garage tunes. My personal fave on the release is a track called “Worst of Me.” Check it. Queens of the Stone Age — I Think I Lost My Headache A nearly nine-minute opus that starts and stops and bobs and weaves, it’s the closer on the second full-length release of one of my favourite stoner rock pop songwriters from the famed Coachella desert. This would be their second-last album with domestically-inappropriate Nick Oliveri. Good riddance?
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Faith Healer Try ;-)
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Sarah Jane Scouten When the Bloom Falls from the Rose
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Cold Specks Fool’s Paradise
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Mo Kenney The Details
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Blve Hills I Scream Love
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Rich Hope Can’t Get No Lovin’
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Wares Self Titled
This one is a jovial, fancy free at points, Jekyll and Hyde piece. Produced by Northwestern hipster guitar guy Calvin Johnson from the odds and ends collection of Building Nothing out of Something, following record centrepiece “Broke.” It’s followed up by “Workin’ on Leavin’ the Livin’,” a faux-Lynch piece.
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Protomartyr Relatives in Descent
Radiohead — Subterranean Homesick Alien
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Matthew Dear Modafinil Blues
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Pierre Kwenders MAKANDA at the End of Space, the Beginning of Time
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Signs (Of a Slumbering Beast) Black and White
Song three on the lauded OK Computer recording, followed by the modern Bohemian Rhapsody number “Paranoid Android,” later covered note for note by Weezer in a surprising late turn for the awesome, and before “Karma Police,” which may or may not have been everyone’s favourite alternative ballad of the ‘90s.
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Twin Peaks: 25 years later and still weird
Modest Mouse — Medication
JESSE BOYES CONTRIBUTOR
Season three of Twin Peaks was strange. Surprise. If you haven’t seen the show, seasons one and two aired in 1991 and 1992. The big question introduced in the first few minutes of screen time was: who killed Laura Palmer? In the small Washington State logging town, Twin Peaks, FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper is assigned to the investigation. His methods are bizarre; interpreting dreams about backward speaking dwarves in mysterious red curtained, black and white, zig-zag floored rooms, he takes charge of the murder case with the local sheriffs on his team. He speaks of his desire to help the people of Tibet, and his lamenting of the fact that the Dalai Lama’s authority there has been seized by the Chinese. As an FBI agent, he follows strange synchronicities, and even uses a possibly fictional Tibetan divination technique that he learned subconsciously in a dream. Twin Peaks is a town full of secrets, more-thanquirky personalities, smooth, finger-snapping jazz, and strange polarities between nature and industry. Agent Cooper, in his alone time, tells it all to his tape recorder, speaking to someone named “Diane,” and noting that he’s just got to find out what kind of trees these are! In 2017, filmmakers David Lynch and Mark Frost’s reunion fulfilled Laura Palmer’s iconic backward spoken prophetic line “I’ll see you again in 25 years. Meanwhile.…” The new season begins without the intimate small-town atmosphere of the original show. Is that rugged looking leather-jacketed fella Agent Cooper? That’s his face. Why is there a guy hired to secretly watch a big glass box in a skyscraper in New York City? What’s happening with all the old residents of the familiar little logging town? Sometimes the slow, jazzy pace of the show is exciting, but it’s a relief when season three finally gets back to some of the old characters. Juvenile delinquent Bobby Briggs is looking promising in terms of his father’s dream about his future success — it’s less clear whether any real glimpse “through the darkness of future past” is gleaned regarding Garland Briggs’ deep-govern-
ment messages from outer space about owls and Agent Cooper. I guess that somehow relates to the doppelgänger thing going on with bad Coop and stupid Coop in the new season. The evolution of characters is the most entertaining thing about season three. Amazingly, most of the actors from 25 years ago are back. Gnarly psychotherapist Lawrence Jacobi is now retired from helping troubled minds, but still sports his red/cyan 3D glasses. Only now, he is “Dr. Amp,” and broadcasts a show that resembles the conspiracy radio show InfoWars, whose host has done an interview with David Lynch since Lynch’s last film Inland Empire. The plot gets a little haywire in this season. Or it gets cosmic. I don’t know. There’s an eight-minutelong segment of space stuff elegantly exploding and spiralling. Maybe I have to do more transcendental meditation like David Lynch to get it. Usually, the mysteries of Twin Peaks are more entertaining than their answers. Even when we do get answers, they introduce more questions. Season three is still wonderfully interconnected with the many subplots that ended in cliffhangers in 1992. When Laura Palmer’s death was linked to her killer halfway through season two, it didn’t feel like there were any less questions remaining. That is still how I feel after all three seasons. The world of Twin Peaks is compelling. The esoteric black and white lodges might relate to Frost’s confessed interest in theosophy. Is there some kind of coherency in the cosmology of Twin Peaks? I think there might be. I also think the mysteries might just be rabbit holes with no end but mad tea parties. Maybe the creators don’t even know what it’s all about. There are die-hard fans who could probably explain more of it than I can. Still, I personally think Twin Peaks is prodigious. I feel like it is more of a phenomenon than a television show, or a story. If you’re weird enough to have read this whole review, I recommend all three seasons of Twin Peaks. Please tell me if you figure out what Laura whispered to Coop in the red room.
ARTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017
Album review //
Younger Now shows that the best of Miley Cyrus is yet to come HARVIN BHATHAL CONTRIBUTOR
As of the last several years, Miley Cyrus has been more prevalent for her antics outside of music, rather than her music itself. On 2013’s Bangerz, and 2015’s Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz, Cyrus ventured outside of the established path that had been carved for her, turning off many of her fans. However, Cyrus is on the right track to winning them back with her latest album Younger Now. Cyrus begins the album with her own version of a PSA, with the eponymous “Younger Now,” and “Malibu.” She tells us that she has left the world of cultural appropriation, and is discovering herself once again. Through a shift in production style and lyricism, Cyrus lets the listener know that the album is going in a different direction — a comfort zone of hers. With her all-but-forgotten country twang, she produces a breezy pop-rock and countryfolk album, drawing on the country rock music she was raised on.
The only artist to contribute a feature on the album is country music legend Dolly Parton (also Cyrus’ godmother), who appears on the jaunty and inoffensive “Rainbowland,” an overly simplified attempt at being political. However, it is definitely the most country song on the album, as it can be characterized as Western swing. While most of the album is reflective of Cyrus’ soulsearching that led her back into a relationship with actor Liam Hemsworth, and the happiness stemming from her gig as coach on The Voice, “Week Without You,” and “Love Someone,” are the only songs detailing a breakup. The former is full of old-time charm. In the latter, she combines a ‘70s rock ballad with late-aughts pop. “Miss You So Much,” “I Would Die For You,” and “She’s Not Him” showcase Cyrus’ twang and the power of her voice, especially the emotion she can evoke when she drags her vocals. The songs remind the listener that Miley Cyrus is back and, incidentally, they’re three of the better songs of the album. With “Thinkin’” and “Bad Mood,” Cyrus channels the
sound of other artists, and attempts to make it her own. In “Thinkin’,” she reminds the listener of Shania Twain in her prime, and in “Bad Mood,” the song eerily imitates the structure of Panic! At The Disco’s “The Good, The Bad, and The Dirty,” and manages to outdo the original. Cyrus ends the album with “Inspired,” a song dedicated to her father and the environment, two of the biggest influences in her life. The country-folk ballad indulges the listener with a raw passion, as if for those three minutes, you’re roaming the prairielands with Cyrus herself. As an album, Younger Now lacks cohesiveness, and therefore will probably not achieve critical acclaim. But, as a collection of music, it is a reminder that Miley Cyrus still has the potential to be one of the music industry’s best young artists. After years of stretching the status quo, Cyrus doesn’t take many risks, and transitions successfully to a new era as an artist. Younger Now proves that the best of Miley Cyrus is yet to come.
Movie review //
Kingsman 2 doesn’t realize it’s supposed to be silly MARTIN CASTRO ARTS EDITOR
2014’s Kingsman: The Secret Service was fun mostly because of its self-awareness. Following a plot laid down by Mark Millar in a series of comic books penned two years earlier, the rags-to-riches teen spy flick admirably dodged everything cringe-worthy associated with films that describe themselves as “rags-to-riches teen spy flicks.” It’s as if the movie had, as the backbone of its sometimes-heavy-handed and violence-laden plot, only one commandment: be fun. That’s why it pulled in the success that it did. The plot is kind of simple: a street-savvy but out-of-his-element kid is pulled into the sleek world of espionage in what is essentially a Cinderella story, but with guns and British slang that I’m sure went over many North American’s heads. Silly though it was, the first installment in the Kingsman franchise was refreshing in its decision not to take itself as seriously as many other “action movies” have, due to some misplaced sense of loyalty to their genre. Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle follows hot on its predecessor’s heels, adding more silliness to the narrative. Not that many are expecting this kind of movie to pres-
ent them with narratives they’ve seen before, or be a marvel of writing or directing, but if more character development is what you’re after, there’s not as much of it in The Golden Circle as one would hope. Tasked with saving the world after their spy agency headquarters are destroyed, and their colleagues killed in the blast, Eggsy, the newly-promoted (played by Taron Egerton), and Merlin, an older spy and kind of mentor to Eggsy, go incommunicado, and hop over the Pond to the U.S. to connect with their American counterparts in a sequence involving a Sherlock Holmesian series of a-ha moments which, if the premise of the film itself demanded more serious consideration, would be laughable at best. But in The Golden Circle, it kind of works. Despite a bevy of plot elements and jokes which land flat, like the alcohol-themed names endemic to the U.S. spy agency, which affords us the opportunity to seriously describe the film using phrases like “agent Tequila’s character had little to zero screen time for some good 20 minutes after his introduction, prompting a slight moment of confusion when the watcher realizes his relevance to the plot post-recovery.” For all its clearly self-aware buffoonery, the plot of the movie follows in the vein of a spate of action flicks which,
for the most part, manage to avoid grandstanding and deliver fun, exciting, self-contained plots, like Baby Driver. There is, however, one element of The Golden Circle which seemed needlessly excessive: its preoccupation with profanity and sexually explicit content. Now, I’m not a prude, but I do expect plot or stylistic elements in a film to accomplish something. Sure, this isn’t Citizen Kane by a long shot, but the sparse-yet-forceful use of profanity, and inclusion of female nudity throughout the film, seemed entirely unnecessary. It adds nothing to the plot which the surrounding scenes had not already established, and for all its forcefulness draws attention to itself as an editorial decision, and not as a direct result of the events that preceded their inclusion in a scene. That said, Elton John’s surprise appearance at the end of the film capitalized on the silliness of The Golden Circle’s endeavour to begin with. It may not have been as brightly energetic as its predecessor, but if you have nothing better to do on a Tuesday night, Kingsman: The Golden Circle might just be worth it.
ENTERTAINING. EDGY. OCTOBER 18 — 21
An eclectic mix of provocative short plays. For play information and schedule, visit:
WWW.GALLERY7THEATRE.COM
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